Graham Cohen, president of CBD- and THC-infused pizza sauce line Clean Healing, knows it's fall sportsball season — which usually means a safe haven to dump actual garbage into our gullets in front of loved ones without fear of judgement. It's the American way, but that doesn't mean it can't be slightly amended… or lifted. Cohen strikes a compromise with this low-carb lasagna that won't weigh you down (get it?? Because there's weed in it — plus, zukes instead of pasta). Besides, when you're watching highly-paid athletes work out on a flat screen as you remain stationary, it's best to incorporate some tasty vegetables, right?
MERRY JANE got with Cohen to talk about moving past the stoner pizza party trope, getting inspired from family recipes, and a Bloody Mary that will knock you down for the count (in case being totally health-conscious isn't your vibe).
Clean Healing Lasagna
Ingredients
6 jars of 8-oz. Clean Healing CBD Marinara
6 large, organic zucchinis
3 assorted organic bell peppers
½ white onion
16 oz. organic, lean ground turkey
32 oz. ricotta cheese
32 oz. mozzarella cheese
1 tbsp. organic olive oil
Basil leaves
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 9"-by-13" baking dish
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Place sliced zucchini on large baking sheet coated with non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt and roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes to help dry out the zucchini a bit. This step is critical, as it prevents that lasagna from getting too watery.
While the zucchini noodles are roasting, you can start cooking the turkey meat. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add half of your assorted peppers and onions to cook for a few minutes until onions become translucent. Stir occasionally so that you don't burn it. Add in ground turkey with a little salt and pepper, cook until no longer pink.
To assemble lasagna, spread 2 jars of CDB sauce into the bottom of you baking pan, lightly coated with olive oil. Place zucchini slices evenly over sauce, spread one half of the ricotta mixture, and then sprinkle one half of the mozzarella on. Repeat layers again starting with zucchini slices.
Add the ground turkey meat with the second half of assorted peppers. Spread the other one half of ricotta mixture and add 2 more jars of CBD marinara sauce. Add final layer of zucchini along with remaining marinara sauce and finish with the last half of mozzarella. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 15 minutes longer uncovered. Once cooled, chop basil leaves to sprinkle on top.
MERRY JANE: Clean Healing was founded to fill a savory, healthy void in the edibles market. How do you keep these pillars in mind when designing a new pizza sauce?
Graham Cohen: As someone with dietary restrictions, we wanted to make something that was actually healthy. Our goal is to use all organic ingredients in addition to forfeiting refined sugars. With all this in mind, we opened our grandma's recipe book and started making sauce. After weeks of sample testing, our sauce was complete.
Which sauce is the most popular? Why do you think that is?
It's our CBD Marinara sauce. We have the ability to interact with more consumers directly, whether it's at various farmers markets or food events. Because of this, we get to educate the consumers on the health benefits of CBD while reassuring them it is 100 percent safe and legal.
How else does Clean Healing progress past the "stoner pizza party" trope?
In the near future, Clean Healing will introduce a variety of new products to the market. Starting this week, we are launching our newly-branded sauce. We wanted to emphasize with our new bottle and labels how healthy and versatile our sauce is. The appearance of our new jar mirrors the marinara sauce jars you would find at your local grocery store. Infused Italian dinners such as pasta, lasagna, chicken and eggplant parmesan, or even baked ziti are now available to create.
On your site you advise against using the sauce for breadstick dipping till folks get more personally familiar with the product. What are some other practical applications for the sauce outside the pizza sphere? I bet it would be great in a chili or tomato soup.
Our goal is to educate patients and consumers on how our sauce can best work for them. We encourage people to consume cautiously to prevent overdosing. Once patients know their tolerance, we encourage them to try our product in multiple different ways. We have used our sauce to make soup, Bloody Mary mix, cocktail sauce, and ravioli.
Tell us a little about the recipe you're sharing with us today. What is the ideal environment for consumption — a stoned potluck, maybe? A night in with bae?
This recipe is ideal for a healthy football Sunday meal. Whether you're home alone watching the game or with your friends at their house, this lasagna will tackle your cravings.
For more on Clean Healing, visit their website here
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